Calibrachoa plant named ‘Wescamalve’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Calibrachoa  plant named ‘Wescamalve’, characterized by its cascading and vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; dense and bushy appearance; relatively small leaves; medium-sized flowers; and numerous light red purple-colored flowers with a violet-colored circumorbital ring.

Botanical designation: Calibrachoa sp.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Wescamalve’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Calibrachoa plant, botanically known as Calibrachoa sp., and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘Wescamalve’.

The new Calibrachoa is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Südlohn, Germany. The objective of the breeding program is to develop new vigorous Calibrachoa cultivars with attractive and unique flower coloration.

The new Calibrachoa originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in 2000 of a proprietary selection of Calibrachoa identified as code number 00P108, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Calibrachoa identified as code number 00P162, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Calibrachoa was discovered and selected by the Inventor in a controlled environment in Südlohn, Germany as a single plant within the resulting progeny from the cross-pollination.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal cuttings at Südlohn, Germany since 2001, has shown that the unique features of this new Calibrachoa are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the cultivar Wescamalve have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary with variations in environment such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Wescamalve’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Wescamalve’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Calibrachoa:

-   -   1. Cascading and vigorous growth habit.     -   2. Freely branching habit; dense and bushy appearance.     -   3. Relatively small leaves.     -   4. Medium-sized flowers.     -   5. Numerous light red purple-colored flowers with a         violet-colored circumorbital ring.

Plants of the cultivar Wescamalve can be compared to plants of the female parent selection. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Südlohn, Germany, plants of the new Calibrachoa differed from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Calibrachoa were less vigorous than plants         of the female parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Calibrachoa had smaller leaves than plants         of the female parent selection.     -   3. Plants of the new Calibrachoa had smaller flowers than plants         of the female parent selection.     -   4. Plants of the new Calibrachoa and the female parent selection         differed in flower color as plants of the female parent         selection had lighter pink-colored flowers.

Plants of the cultivar Wescamalve can be compared to plants of the male parent selection. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Südlohn, Germany, plants of the new Calibrachoa differed from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Calibrachoa had shorter internodes than         plants of the male parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Calibrachoa had smaller flowers than plants         of the male parent selection.     -   3. Plants of the new Calibrachoa and the male parent selection         differed in flower color.

Plants of the new Calibrachoa can also be compared to plants of the Calibrachoa cultivar Wescarose, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 12,752. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Südlohn, Germany, plants of the new Calibrachoa differed from plants of the cultivar Wescarose in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Calibrachoa were more compact than plants         of the cultivar Wescarose.     -   2. Plants of the new Calibrachoa had smaller flowers than plants         of the cultivar Wescarose.     -   3. Plants of the new Calibrachoa had smaller sepals than plants         of the cultivar Wescarose.     -   4. Plants of the new Calibrachoa and the cultivar Wescarose         differed in flower color.

Plants of the new Calibrachoa can also be compared to plants of the Calibrachoa cultivar Wespink, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 12,486. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Südlohn, Germany, plants of the new Calibrachoa differed from plants of the cultivar Wespink in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Calibrachoa were more compact than plants         of the cultivar Wespink.     -   2. Plants of the new Calibrachoa had shorter and thinner lateral         branches than plants of the cultivar Wespink.     -   3. Plants of the new Calibrachoa and the cultivar Wespink         differed in flower color.     -   4. Plants of the new Calibrachoa had longer peduncles than         plants of the cultivar Wespink.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Calibrachoa.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective view of typical flowering plants of ‘Wescamalve’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a close-up view of typical flowers of ‘Wescamalve’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Plants used in the aforementioned photographs and for the following description were grown under conditions which closely approximate commercial production conditions during the spring and summer in a glass-covered greenhouse in Südlohn, Germany. Plants were about 20 weeks from planting rooted cuttings and grown in containers. During the production of the plants, the day temperatures ranged from 20 to 25° C., night temperatures ranged from 16 to 18° C. and light levels ranged from 3,000 to 50,000 lux.

In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Calibrachoa sp. cultivar Wescamalve. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female parent.—Proprietary selection of Calibrachoa sp.             identified as 00P108, not patented.         -   Male parent.—Proprietary selection of Calibrachoa sp.             identified as 00P162, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type cutting.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots.—About 18 to 20 days at 20° C.         -   Time to develop roots.—About 20 to 28 days at 20° C.         -   Root description.—Numerous, fine, fibrous, and             well-branched. -   Plant description:     -   -   Form.—Annual flowering plant; cascading; uniform, rounded             appearance, plants eventually become spherical in overall             shape. Freely branching with lateral branches forming at             every node. Vigorous growth habit.         -   Usage.—Appropriate for hanging baskets, window boxes and             patio containers.         -   Plant height (from soil level to top of plant plane).—About             11 cm.         -   Plant length (from soil level to lateral branches             apices).—About 54 to 60 cm.         -   Stem description.—Main branches, length: About 49 cm. Main             branches, diameter: About 2.4 mm. Lateral branches, length:             About 21 cm. Lateral branches, diameter: About 1 mm.             Internode length: About 1.2 cm. Texture: Slightly pubescent.             Strength: Strong, wiry. Color: 144B.         -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate, simple;             sessile. Length: About 2.8 cm. Width: About 9 mm. Shape:             Obovate to elliptic. Apex: Rounded. Base: Attenuate. Margin:             Entire. Aspect: Mostly flat. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Slightly pubescent; velvety. Venation: Pinnate.             Color: Developing foliage, upper and lower surfaces: 146B.             Fully expanded foliage, upper surface: 146A; midvein, 146B;             lateral veins, similar to lamina. Fully expanded foliage,             lower surface: 146B; midvein, 146C; lateral veins, similar             to lamina. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type and habit.—Medium-sized flowers; flowers face             upright or outward; single, axillary. Flowers not             persistent. Freely flowering with flowers forming at every             axil.         -   Natural flowering season.—Spring until frost in the autumn;             flowering continuous.         -   Flower longevity on the plant.—About one week.         -   Flower size.—Diameter: About 3.1 cm. Depth (height): About             1.7 cm. Tube length: About 1.2 cm. Throat diameter, distal             end: About 8 mm. Tube diameter, proximal end: About 4 mm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1.8 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm.             Shape: Oblong. Color: Towards the base, 145B to 145C;             towards the apex, 77C.         -   Corolla.—Arrangement/appearance: Single whorl of five             petals, fused into flared trumpet. Petal length from throat:             About 1.2 cm. Petal width: About 1.5 cm. Petal shape:             Roughly spatulate with an obtuse apex. Petal margin: Entire.             Petal texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous;             satiny. Color: Petal, when opening, upper surface: Lighter             than N74B. Petal, when opening, lower surface: 76C. Petal,             fully opened, upper surface: N74C; color becoming closer to             77C with development; circumorbital ring, N80A and 83B;             venation, N77C. Petal, fully opened, lower surface: 76C to             76D; venation, N77A. Flower throat (inside): 9C; white spot,             N155C; venation, N77A and N144A. Flower tube (outside): 1B             to 1C; venation, N77A.         -   Sepals.—Arrangement/appearance: Single whorl of five sepals,             star-shaped. Length: About 1.3 cm. Width: About 3.2 mm.             Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Margin: Entire. Texture,             upper and lower surfaces: Densely pubescent. Color, upper             and lower surfaces: 147A.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 2.2 cm. Width: About 0.8 mm.             Strength: Flexible, wiry. Texture: Slightly pubescent.             Color: 144A to 144B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Five.             Anther shape: Four-parted, ovate. Anther length: About             1.1 mm. Anther diameter: About 1 mm. Filament length: About             5 mm. Filament color: 154C. Anther color: 5A. Pollen amount:             Moderate. Pollen color: 5A. Pistils: Quantity per flower:             One. Pistil length: About 8 mm. Stigma shape: Ovate. Stigma             color: 144A. Style length: About 5 mm. Style color: 144C.             Ovary color: 145C.         -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit production has not been observed. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Calibrachoa have not been     noted to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Calibrachoa. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Calibrachoa have been     observed to be tolerant to temperatures ranging from 2 to 30° C. 

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Calibrachoa plant named ‘Wescamalve’, as illustrated and described. 